1. Miami Dolphins: OT Jake Long

A smart pick here by Miami locking up a player who fills a significant need and is considered by most to be a can’t miss prospect. Though he may struggle at the left tackle position in the NFL, he will be an outstanding right tackle for years to come. A team like Miami needs to build from the ground up and starting with your O-line is always a sound decision.

2. St. Louis Rams: DE Chris Long

Long is the proverbial chip off the old block. He has one of the most high powered, relentless motors in the entire draft. It is always a good choice to take a player who you know will play whistle to whistle and that is exactly what the Rams got in Chris Long. He showed improvement throughout his college career taking his sack totals from 1 his Freshmen year to 14 his Senior year. He has strong hands and great quickness and will one day be an elite pass rusher for a team that desperately needed help on the d-line. Long also has the intangibles and will be a leader on and off the field. An extremely solid selection here for the Rams.

3. Atlanta Falcons: QB Matt Ryan

This is possibly a risky pick as some people are not entirely convinced of Ryan’s ability to play at the next level. Consider that the Falcons O-line is not prepared to protect a young quarterback, who will be prone to holding on to the ball too long and take numerous sacks. Ryan does have many of the intangibles that people like to see in their QB’s and is a leader of men both on and off the field. He does have an excellent arm and is a better athletes then most people realize. He has a tendency to throw into coverage far too often resulting in too many interceptions. if Ryan is started immediately he could struggle tremendously, but he does have the character to bounce back from a potentially tough season. A risk but one that could pay huge dividends for the struggling franchise.

4. Oakland Raiders: RB Darren McFadden

Al Davis does it again. Darren McFadden is in my opinion and the opinion of many others the most talented player in the 2008 NFL draft. He has great upper body strength, and is a home-run hitter. He has great moves in open space, tremendous speed, and excellent cutting ability. He joins a somewhat crowded backfield with Justin Fargas, Lamont Jordan and Dominic Rhodes all on Oakland’s roster. This is a smart pick though with a young QB in Jamarcus Russell poised to take over, the Raiders will need great offensive production from their backs to take the pressure off Russell. There are some questions about his ability to run inside, and his off-field issues. Still, I think this was a great choice for a rebuilding Oakland team.

5. Kansas City Chiefs: DT Glenn Dorsey

Dorsey is a powerhouse football player, considered by most to be the best defensive player in all of college football. He has very long arms, is extremely strong, has great burst and explosion and always stays on his feet. The only real issue with him is durability. Dorsey will immediately upgrade the Chiefs defense and will most likely be a Pro Bowl defense tackle in the near future as long as he stays on the field. Like Long Dorsey also has the character and intangible’s that you look for in a leader. It is never a bad idea for a team to select a player who will make an immediate impact and the Chiefs have done exactly that.

6. New York Jets: DE/LB Vernon Gholston

Gholston is the perfect player for the 3-4 defense of the Jets. He has a quick first step, the ability to bull rush and the ability to stand up and rush from the edge. The only question about playing that style defense will be his pass coverage ability. He will also struggle at times to shed blocks. The Jets had one of the worst defenses in the league last year and Gholston will make an immediate impact on the field. Gholston does not have the motor of a Jake Long and will need to prove that he can be consistent from whistle to whistle. All in all, a very solid pick for the NY Jets.

7. New England Patriots: (Patriots acquire 10th overall pick and 3rd round pick)Traded to the New Orleans Saints: DT Sedrick Ellis.

Another smart move by the savvy NE front office to trade down from this pick and stock pile draft picks. The Saints needed to shore up the front seven and made a solid choice here with Sedrick Ellis. He is a strong bull rush type player and can be a stalwart against the rush and pass. He does have some trouble with getting set too high and being thrown off balance by opposing O-linemen. Still, the Saints have a formidable offense and needed to add depth and balance to their defense. Ellis will provide this in spades.

8. Baltimore Ravens:(Baltimore recieves 1st round pick, two 3rd round picks, and a 4th round pick) Traded to Jacksonville Jaguars: DE Derrick Harvey

Derrick Harvey is a Junior that came out early, he is an excellent natural pass rusher and can really set the edge. Going to a team like Jacksonville that already has a solid front 7 will only help his development as he won’t see double teams often. He often shows a good motor, and hustle and will pursue the ball long after the play has passed him by. The only concern is how well groomed will he be having come out of college a year early. The Jags already potent defense just got better with this selection and they can take their time brining Harvey along. A good choice but did they give up to much to get there?
9. Cincinnati Bengals: LB Keith Rivers

Keith Rivers will immediately fill a huge need for a struggling Bengals defense. He is a smart player, with a terrific work ethic, which may mask the fact that is not an off the charts, elite LB. He is also a high character guy which the Bengals could certainly use in their locker room. He has had solid production throughout his college career, and will project well in the Bengals defensive scheme. Not really a wow factor pick here but a solid choice altogether.

10. New England Patriots: LB Jerod Mayo

What can you say about a team that finished 18-1 and still has a top ten draft pick? Well I can say this, I am a little surprised by the pick of Jerod Mayo here. The Pats could have used a CB here with the departures of Gay and Samuel. However, their linebacking corps is getting old and restocking that position was a need this team needed to address but it seems that Mayo was somewhat of a reach here. With that said he is a solid, productive player with good speed to the inside and the ability to cover the edge. In my opinion a reach, especially with the cornerbacks that were still on the board, but never question the New England front office.

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